Coimbatore

Cheating case: Four-member gang handed over to police custody

A judicial court here on Thursday gave four accused, including a small time Tamil actress Shruthi, to police custody for interrogation. The actress allegedly duped several prospective bridegrooms of lakhs of rupees on the pretext of marrying them.

The four-member gang, including two women, were arrested on January 11 based on a complaint by an IT professional Balamurugan, who said that he became friend with Shruthi alias Mythili Venkatesh through a matrimonial agency some two years ago and decided to marry.

Shruthi, on the pretext of seeking help to treat her ailing mother had taken Rs.45 lakh over a period of two years, after which she went out of contact. Balamurugan lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime cell, that arrested Shruthi, her mother Chitra, one Prasanna Venkatesh and Subhash.

Preliminary investigation revealed that she had cheated five others in a same manner and collected over Rs. 1 crore and gold ornaments.

Police sought their custody when the case came up for hearing on Thursday before Third Judicial Magistrate Velusamy, who ordered their seven days police custody.